Science Student Science Student Science News, Interesting Science Articles, College course notes, Mathematics Articles 
Articles
Cadmium
2008-01-07 15:18:00 In the late 1940s and early 1950s, an outbreak of what was dubbed itai-itai (ouch-ouch) disease occurred in the Japanese town of Honshu. Thousands of residents suffering from the condition reported severe muscle pain, anemia, and kidney failure. An investigation found that effluent from a lead processing plant had flooded the rice fields for many ...
Topic: Metabolism; Phase II
2007-12-21 02:53:00 This introduction to phase II metabolism wraps up this week?s entries on drug metabolism. The goal of phase II is to make drugs more water-soluble and therefore facilitate excretion. Some drugs are metabolized by phase I enzymes before entering phase II and some are not. Phase II metabolism is called conjugation because a chemical group ... More About: Topic , Metabolism , Hase
Topic: Metabolism; Phase I Enzymes
2007-12-19 04:26:00 Metabolism is the process by which the body prepares a drug for removal. The process consists of three phases. Today I will briefly describe phase 1. The enzymes in phase I metabolism make a drug more water soluble (hydrophilic) by adding oxygen. Often the process liberates a compound that is not water-soluble enough for excretion ... More About: Topic , Phase , Metabolism , Hase
Topic: Drug Metabolism; Introduction
2007-12-17 03:37:00 Metabolism is the process by which drugs are eliminated from the body. It usually involves changing the chemical composition of the drug, but some compounds such as the heavy metals are excreted without alteration. Metabolism does not always inactivate a drug. In the process of bioactivation, a drug is metabolized from an inactive to active ... More About: Introduction , Topic , Drug , Metabolism
Topic: Lead
2007-12-14 03:55:00 The recent recall of lead-coated toys made in China has brought attention to the potential toxicity of lead. In the 1940s and 1950s, toys made with lead were common. Lead was also used in such products as cosmetics, pottery, and paint. Today the majority of lead exposure is from the air, soldering, and, in children, from ... More About: Topic
Topic: Organophosphates; Development and Action
2007-12-12 18:03:00 To end this series on acetylcholine I thought it would be appropriate to describe the organophosphates. The organophosphates inhibit the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, acetylcholinesterase. This effect builds up acetylcholine and causes excessive stimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system. Symptoms of organophosphate poisoning include profuse sweating, diarrhea, pimpoint pupils, tremors, and confusion. Death can ... More About: Action , Development , Topic , Organ
FINALS!
2007-12-11 01:27:00 Hey, it’s finals week for me which means no posting! If you have finals coming up, good luck! Nate More About: Finals
Pharmacofiles Temporarily Down
2007-12-07 23:18:00 Due to technical difficulties (ie busted hard drive) this blog is temporarily down. I will begin postings again next week. More About: Arma , Temp
Topic: Acetylcholine; Actions of
2007-12-05 03:13:00 Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter of the parasympathetic nervous system and, along with several other neurotransmitters, regulates body function. Parasympathetic nerves are part of the autonomic nervous system that controls tissues not under conscious control. Acetylcholine is also part of the somatic nervous system that contracts skeletal muscle. Acetylcholine maintains the body under unstressed conditions. For ... More About: Topic
Topic: Acetylcholine; History of
2007-12-03 01:42:00 Today?s entry along with the next two will describe the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This entry delineates how acetylcholine was recognized as a transmitter of nerve impulses in the body. The vagus nerve innervates the heart and helps to control heart rate. In 1907 scientists recognized that heart rate slowed in response to bagus nerve stimulation and application ... More About: History , Topic
Gravitation: Gravitational Potential
2007-12-01 09:26:00 The gravitational potential at a point is defined as the energy per unit mass required in moving a body from infinity to that point. gravitational potential = energy required/mass ? = W/m Note: Since the force is attractive, energy is required to move the body from P to ?. This means that, by definition, the gravitational potential at a ...
Ecstasy and Loud Music
2007-11-30 02:58:00 Ecstasy, or 3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), targets the serotonergic system in the brain. It appears to be a tailor-made drug for use at rave parties. The feelings of euphoria, increased energy, and enhanced perception following ingestion compliment the manic social aspects of a party. However, acute or chronic exposure to ecstasy is toxic. Ecstasy degenerates neurons ... More About: Music , Loud , Ecstasy
NASA Mission to Venus?
2007-11-29 16:46:00 We all know that humans have been on the Moon, and some of us are probably aware of the fact that there have been plans for manned missions to Mars for decades (which may even become reality with the Contellation program within about 20 years). But most people ignore the fact that NASA also ... More About: Venus , Nasa , Mission , Missi
Topic: Mustards; Development and Action
2007-11-28 03:14:00 Germany was first to develop chemical weapons. During World War I German chemists pioneered the use of chlorine and phosgene gas against the Allied front in the trenches. However, the Allies quickly supplied the troops with gas masks. A soldier could don a mask and avoid exposure as soon as he smelled the suffocating gas. ... More About: Action , Development , Topic
The Galileo Myth
2007-11-27 15:39:00 By Dinesh D’Souza Many people have uncritically accepted the idea that there is a longstanding war between science and religion. We find this war advertised in many of the leading atheist tracts such as those by Richard Dawkins, Victor Stenger, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens. Every few months one of the leading newsweeklies does a story ... More About: Galileo , Myth , The G
Brain Boosting Drugs
2007-11-26 15:38:00 Mark is a good student. Intelligent and diligent, he won a place to read modern languages at one of Britain’s top 10 universities. But in the run-up to his finals this summer, with a towering pile of revision still to go, the 23-year-old decided he wasn’t going to be good enough. So he went on ... More About: Drugs , Brain
Physics Updates
2007-11-26 15:37:00 Hey, I know I’ve been falling behind with the Physics 2 Notes. I’ve had a lot of coursework. Soon I’ll be posting notes on inductance, electromagnetic oscillations, AC circuits, electromagnetic waves, images, interference, and hopefully, diffraction. Nate More About: Updates
Topic: Book Review?The Truth About the Drug Companies
2007-11-26 01:26:00 The shenanigans drug companies use to promote drugs and maximize profits have been documented in such books as The 800$ Million Pill and Powerful Medicines. Marcia Angell, a former editor of the prestigious medical journal The New England Journal of Medicine, continues the theme with her book The Truth about the Drug Companies : How They ... More About: Book Review , Review , Book
High Resolution Images of Mars
2007-11-25 16:42:00 Check out some high resolution images of Mars at Dan Harlow’s Blog. More About: Images , High , High Resolution , Resolution
Topic: Antioxidants and Obesity
2007-11-23 03:09:00 Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress. Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons that accumulate and cause oxidative stress. These molecules damage cells and proteins. Flavonoids and phenolic acids are two naturally-occurring antioxidants. Flavonoids are found in foods such as fruit, nuts, and vegetables. They are responsible, at least in part, for the ... More About: Obesity , Topic , Antioxidants
Happy Thanksgiving
2007-11-22 17:38:00 Happy Thanksgiving ! Enjoy the turkey and the football! -Nate More About: Misc , Happy , Hank
Gravitation: Gravitation and Circular Motion
2007-11-21 23:20:00 Consider a satellite moving in a circular orbit of radius r around a planet. The gravitational force provides the required centripetal force. F = (GMm)/r2 = mr?2 therefore, (GM)/r2 = r?2 (GM)/r3 = ?2 = (2?/T)2 (GM)/r3 = 4?2/T2 T2 = (4?2. r3)/(GM) therefore, T2 ? R3 (Kepler’s Second Law) Note: Consider a spring which is at the equator and a 1 kg mass ... More About: Motion , Circular
Wide Angled Views of Internals Using Tiny Probe
2007-11-21 21:16:00 An ultrasound probe about the size of a grain of rice that could offer panoramic views from inside the human body is being tested by US researchers. They say it could be threaded through blood vessels in the brain or swallowed like a pill. Ultrasound scanners are normally used to peer into the body from the ... More About: Views , Wide , Tiny , Probe , Angle
Gravitation: Gravitational Field Strength
2007-11-21 10:59:00 a.k.a. gravitational field intensity The gravitational field strength at a point is defined as the gravitational force acting per unit mass experienced by a body placed at that point. Gravitational field strength = gravitational force/mass g = F/m note: The equation is more convenient in the form: F = mg Gravitational field strength is a vector quantity and has SI unit: NKg-1. At ... More About: Field
Topic: Definitions of Some Drug Properties
2007-11-21 03:32:00 If you read or hear news about drugs you may come across terms such as ?agonist? or ?antagonist.? These terms refer to properties of drugs and the type of response they are expected to provoke in the body. Below are some definitions, with examples, of terms that classify drugs according to their actions. Drug s act ... More About: Definitions , Topic , Properties , Prop
New Car Paint May Change Colors Instantly
2007-11-21 02:51:00 One of the hardest decisions when picking a new car is choosing the right color but the day when cars will be available in multiple colors could be here sooner than you think. Scientists have developed a new coating called ?paramagnetic? paint that has the ability to change colors at the touch of a button. ... More About: Change , Colors , Paint
Do Genetics Play a Role In Sexual Orientation?
2007-11-19 18:11:00 Is sexual orientation something people are born with — like the colour of their skin and eyes — or a matter of choice? Canadian scientists have uncovered new evidence which shows genetics has a role to play in determining whether an individual is homosexual or heterosexual. The research was conducted by Dr. Sandra Witelson, a neuroscientist ... More About: Play , Role , Sexual , Genetics , Orientation
Topic: Drug Discovery; Lithium
2007-11-19 01:43:00 In the past, lithium salts were used as a treatment for gout and as a sedative or anticonvulsant. Since 1949 lithium has been employed as an agent to reduce mania in patients with manic depression, commonly called bipolar disorder. Theories about the mechanism of action of lithium abound. Despite this, how lithium calms a manic patient remains unclear. Most likely lithium stabilizes mood by preventing the release of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine. Lithium may also reduce the action of these neurotransmitters by dampening the activity of G proteins and other signaling systems within the cell. The recognition that lithium can reduce mania began in the late 1940s and is a good example of serendipity in drug discovery.In the late 1940s John Kade, an Australian psychiatrist, was exploring whether a chemical produced in the human body caused the manic phase of bipolar disorder. He thought an excess of toxins produced mania whereas a deficiency caused depression. He inje... More About: Discovery , Topic , Drug , Drug Discovery
E8 Animation
2007-11-18 19:23:00 Here is a video of the E8 polytope mentioned in the new simplified theory on everything: More About: Animation , Imation
New Theory of Everything Seems Deficient
More articles from this author:2007-11-17 21:39:00 via Chris Lee at ArsTechnica The New Scientist must hire someone to trawl through the arXiv in the hopes of getting the science news one step ahead of everyone else. Unfortunately, its record for distinguishing good science from bad science is not all that great, so I was pretty skeptical when I was pointed to an article on a new theory of everything™. This paper is actually a very impressive piece of work, though it is thoroughly overhyped and completely unintelligible to anyone who doesn’t regularly do particle physics and group theory. The author, A. Garrett Lisi, has proposed a back-to-the-future approach to uniting quantum mechanics and gravity. Over the course of the late 19th and 20th centuries, it was discovered that the electric force, the magnetic force, the weak force (responsible for radioactivity), and the strong force (responsible for holding the nucleus together) could all be described by a single theory. The different forces, their properties, and associat... More About: Theory , Theo 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
|
 |
|
 |
